“I know,” I said slowly, pushing down my fear. I ran down the back-deck stairs in the snow, wearing only my socks, and headed towards her car. It was empty, the engine cold, and I looked around, my heart thudding. “Pacey! Did she get in?”
Pacey was on the deck, shaking his head. “No. I’m going to call the girls. Maybe she went to them when she couldn’t get in. But how, given her car is here? And why would Nessa be looking for her, then? Fuck. It doesn’t make sense.”
“I’m going to check the grounds. I don’t know. I just have a feeling.” And it wasn’t a good one. It was too damn cold out here, and Elise was hurting. I needed to find her. Now.
“There’s an old shed out back behind those trees. Maybe she’s in there getting warm.”
I met his gaze, and then I ran, heedless of the fact that I still wasn’t wearing shoes. I could barely breathe, bile filling my throat. She had to be fine. She had to be. She was just staying warm.
And then I saw the spots of blood on the snow, and I ran faster.
“You’re going to tell me where he is. I need money. I didn’t mean to hurt you, but Jesus Christ, you scared me.”
“Please, just let me go. I promise I won’t tell anyone. Please.”
I nearly tripped because I recognized those voices.
Elise and…Dave.
Why the fuck was my father talking to Elise? If he hurt her—
Holy fuck.
I kept running, knowing I should call out to Pacey but not wanting to startle them. I got to the shed, nearly sliding in the snow over the pine needles. My socks were drenched, sticking to the bottoms of my feet, but I didn’t care. The door was open, and I could barely see what was going on. Elise sat there, blood caked to the side of her face as she held her knees to her chest, her whole body shaking. Dave stood in front of her, pacing, his whole body vibrating as if he were tweaking. He had a fucking knife in his hand, one of those hunter’s knives that I only saw on TV.
I didn’t know what to do, and yet, I knew I had to do something. Dave was obviously on something, and he wasn’t thinking clearly. And Elise was hurt.
I didn’t think. I just hoped to hell I wasn’t making a mistake.
“Dad?” I asked. I couldn’t say, “Dave.” Not when I wanted him to focus on me. Calling him by his first name would piss him off. Right? What the hell was he doing? What the hell was I doing?
Dave whirled, his eyes going dark. “You should have been here. Why weren’t you here?” And then Dave lunged. I ducked out of the way, ignoring the hot sting in my skin as the knife slid through. It was only a graze, but still, I shouted. And then Elise was there, pushing at Dave.
“Dillon!”
“Get to Pacey. Get out of here.”
“Not without you.”
I met her gaze over the other man’s head. Dave was on something that made him far stronger than he should be. I didn’t know what it was, but he was definitely tweaking.
He shoved at us. Thankfully, however, not with the knife.
I tackled him, my adrenaline surging, and the blade skittered across the ground. Elise jumped on it, holding it in her hand as her arm shook.
“Get Pacey. Call the cops.” I knelt on my dad, my knee on his back as I pinned him down. “Stop it. What the hell were you thinking?”
“I just needed a few bucks. She was there. I didn’t mean to hurt her.”
“Dillon?”
“Get Pacey.”
“She doesn’t have to. I’m here. Let me help, Dillon. The cops are on their way.”
Pacey rushed in, Tanner, Sanders, and Miles with him, and they all held Dave down. I ran to Elise. I didn’t care that she probably still wanted space. I saw the blood on her, and I couldn’t breathe.
“Elise?”
“I’m fine. He surprised me. I’m fine.” Her teeth chattered, and I could see each of our exhales. It was so fucking cold out, but she was okay. She had to be.
She leaped into my arms, and I held her close, dropping to my knees. We fell, holding each other, and I felt the hot warmth of her tears on my neck. I was crying, as well, not able to hold back any longer.
“You’re fine, you’re fine.”
“I was so scared, but you’re here.”
I kissed the top of her head and held her as my new friends and roommates pinned my dad to the ground, and Miles ran out to direct the cops.
I had no idea what the fuck had happened or how we had ended up here. But Elise would be fine, damn it.
Somehow.
I just hoped to hell she forgave me for what Dave had done.
Chapter 20
Elise
“Are you sure we should leave?” Mom asked, and I looked up at her and smiled. “I asked you to drop me off, and you did. I’m grateful, but I could use some time with them, okay?”
My parents stood in front of the couch, looking down at me, worried expressions on their faces. It had been a day since the attack, and unlike my home, I didn’t want to lose the ability to ever walk into Dillon’s again. Even if he didn’t forgive me and we ended up never being together, I didn’t want to lose that.
So, my parents had dropped me off at Dillon’s with the rest of my friends and their families and were now about to head out.
“I want to stay for a bit. Is that okay?” I asked, even though that had been the agreement when they drove me over here. I had a slight headache but didn’t have a concussion and would be fine. And I’d only needed two stitches. Apparently, wounds on your head bled easily and copiously, and that’s why I had been in the shape I
